A Peek at Potential

It’s late in the year, which means that it’s time for Pharmaceutical Executive’s annual Pipeline Report. This issue’s entry, exploring how notable R&D programs and innovation may shake out in 2024, is our 19th such iteration. As always, the report features extensive reporting on select and emerging areas of drug development where investment activity is grabbing particular attention. This year, we dive into five closely watched therapeutic areas that more commonly impact “first-world” populations. We highlight new treatment approaches—many targeting disease modification and quality of life—that are poised to transform healthcare for traditionally debilitating and serious chronic diseases. These include, in some cases, lifestyle-influenced conditions. The therapeutic settings we analyze are weight loss, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and psychedelics.

Also featured in this issue is Pharm Exec’s 22nd annual Industry Audit. Once again, our contributor on this report since its inception, Bill Trombetta, PhD, professor of healthcare strategy and marketing at St. Joseph’s University Haub School of Business, provides a unique look into the financial performance of the top 15 publicly traded biopharma companies, comparing them against seven key business metrics. Ultimately, the Audit illustrates that during challenging times on market and macro levels, the best strategy in maintaining and boosting shareholder value is to focus on the core fundamentals.

While our Audit examines past performance, our Pipeline Report details future potential. As the year nears its close, these two analyses, juxtaposed together, offer an interesting snapshot of where the industry has been and where it is headed.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) makes another appearance this month. As one of the most exciting trends in technology in recent years, pharma companies are fast at work trying to figure out ways to incorporate AI into various key processes it could influence for the better. While this can lead to some great innovations, there is also risk. Experts Alan Marcus and Jeff Policastro, both from LabVantage Solutions, break down the best ways to evaluate these risks and develop “the ultimate AI use case.”